Ladurée reviews
I had lunch on 24th Feb at Laduree. I had tea & dinner on 1st March again at Laduree. All 3 experiences were simply fabulous. Food, ambiance, service - fantastic. A MUST visit when in Harrods!
by annrzl, 04 Mar 2012
by annrzl, 04 Mar 2012
Absolutely the worst service I have ever experienced. We will never go here again. The waiters are lazy and slow. We waited half an hour to be seated when there were tables available and another half an hour to get a drink. Still waiting to give our order. Hell...
by Clare3, 04 Jul 2011
by Clare3, 04 Jul 2011
There are not enough descriptive words to say how wonderful the sweet sweet food is here. A MUST for any Londoner looking to satisfy their French fancy.
by ilovehairlesscats (6 reviews), 03 Mar 2011
by ilovehairlesscats (6 reviews), 03 Mar 2011
Just lovely! Although situated in a department store, entry into this little slice of Parisian paradise is just breathtaking. Although on the pricey side, the service was fantastic and waiting/floor staff courteous and approachable. A lovely afternoon with friends if a little touch of luxury is on your cards.
by manellem, 23 Feb 2011
by manellem, 23 Feb 2011
My family had the most wonderful afternoon tea here. The staff were polite and the service excellent.
by peran.ainscough1, 28 Dec 2009
by peran.ainscough1, 28 Dec 2009
The macaroons and food are absolutely delicious BUT the service is appalling and terribly slow. Therefore 5* for food and 1* for service.
by Me73, 23 Jul 2009
by Me73, 23 Jul 2009
The Laduree in Harrods is a little unapealing (it is in Harrods) but the macaroons are delish! The many flavors and colors are exciting to eat and the flavor is always delicate - not overwhelming! They end up being a refreshing desert that leaves you without the guilty feeling in your stomach.
by world traveler7, 08 May 2009
by world traveler7, 08 May 2009
We went to Laduree 2nd May 2009. The decor was breathtaking. We had some amazing macaroons, and the staff were very informative at this counter. The same cannot be said of the floor staff, who were very rude, not interested and left us waiting. We left without getting our drinks. We will go back for macaroons to GO!
by Ann connell, 04 May 2009
by Ann connell, 04 May 2009
Perhaps I shouldn't have held such high expectations for Laduree, but then review has it as a world-famous patisserie that musters some of the best cakes and macarons in Paris, so I went to try some weeks ago with my boyfriend. True that the grandeur of the decor and the panoply of cakes are quite mesmerising, but the quality of the morsels doesn't quite match up.
We had the Mont-Blanc (the chestnut tart, that is) but it was bland and failed to enthrall the tastebuds. One could easily get a better rendition elsewhere for a cheaper price. The Saint-Honore, supposedly one of their traditional creations, did not excite us either. The choux pastry wasn't fresh - it was only crisp on the outside because it's caramelised. The texture wasn't as intricate as I had hoped and the custard and chantilly cream didn't punctuate through, though to be fair Saint-Honore is very tricky to make. The macaron biscuit of Ispahan was too chewy and lacked the required light and airy consistency, although this one tasted a lot better. The combination of rose, lychee and raspberries was very delicate and refreshing. Overall, the cakes taste like they've been pre-made a while ago and God knows how long they've been on display for. As for drinks, I had the violet tea, which was rather pleasant. But you can't really go wrong with a brew can you?
Service was unbelievably slow - it took us a total of 20 minutes to get the bill and pay for it, but that's probably because the place was packed at that time. Try not to sit under the stairs when it's crowded, otherwise there's a good chance that you'll be ignored.
It still deserves 4 stars because it does give you a pretty Parisian tearoom setting in which to indulge in a luxurious afternoon tea after shopping sprees. Just bear in mind that you'll be paying premium price for something that could've been done better. Adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment.
by goji (4 reviews), 09 Mar 2008
We had the Mont-Blanc (the chestnut tart, that is) but it was bland and failed to enthrall the tastebuds. One could easily get a better rendition elsewhere for a cheaper price. The Saint-Honore, supposedly one of their traditional creations, did not excite us either. The choux pastry wasn't fresh - it was only crisp on the outside because it's caramelised. The texture wasn't as intricate as I had hoped and the custard and chantilly cream didn't punctuate through, though to be fair Saint-Honore is very tricky to make. The macaron biscuit of Ispahan was too chewy and lacked the required light and airy consistency, although this one tasted a lot better. The combination of rose, lychee and raspberries was very delicate and refreshing. Overall, the cakes taste like they've been pre-made a while ago and God knows how long they've been on display for. As for drinks, I had the violet tea, which was rather pleasant. But you can't really go wrong with a brew can you?
Service was unbelievably slow - it took us a total of 20 minutes to get the bill and pay for it, but that's probably because the place was packed at that time. Try not to sit under the stairs when it's crowded, otherwise there's a good chance that you'll be ignored.
It still deserves 4 stars because it does give you a pretty Parisian tearoom setting in which to indulge in a luxurious afternoon tea after shopping sprees. Just bear in mind that you'll be paying premium price for something that could've been done better. Adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment.
by goji (4 reviews), 09 Mar 2008
I took my friend there today for her birthday, as we are both French. Nice staff but the food quality/quantity was a real disappointment. I understand why we were the only ones to have ordered £22 tea - very expensive for what it was. A drink and a single cake would have been more than enough.
by Chantal M, 10 Nov 2007
by Chantal M, 10 Nov 2007
OK place, shame it's in Harrods - tacky, tasteless, run by a loony and the only department store in London still selling fur. If Laduree had any sense they would move into Selfridges.
by Bubbles J. Smith (6 reviews), 07 Aug 2007
by Bubbles J. Smith (6 reviews), 07 Aug 2007
Absolute bliss. The waitstaff are very pleasant. The décor is diverse, with different discreet areas one can sit in. The menu has a good variety of food for any time of the day - highly recommended for a nice cup of tea and a delicious pastry. All in all a great way to sit back, relax and take in the Harrods atmosphere.
by Maria Maria, 11 Feb 2007
by Maria Maria, 11 Feb 2007
Been here many times; varies a lot.
Once was in the black dining area - had scallops with vanilla oil risotto and Parmesan crisps, with a glass of Bollinger Grand Anee, a Saint-Honore cake for pudding with a cup of Earl Grey tea. This whole meal was stunning. To get a meal of this standard in a department store is unheard of in London, though of course commonplace in Paris! I've had worse food at Royal Hospital Road, Petrus, Sketch, Racine, Drones, and many other places in London.
Another time I went and had sea bass and a glass of Montrachet. This was poor. Soggy fish with a foul, overpowering taste of fennel. For pudding I had a few macaroons and a cognac, which were good, but not enough to make up for the poor main course.
I've often picked up sandwiches from here for lunch at the office. They are okay, but nothing special, and I cannot afford to stand in a queue for 20 mins. I can sit down and eat at Noura in that much time. If only this place was not in Harrods!
by bouji (2 reviews), 26 Jul 2006
Once was in the black dining area - had scallops with vanilla oil risotto and Parmesan crisps, with a glass of Bollinger Grand Anee, a Saint-Honore cake for pudding with a cup of Earl Grey tea. This whole meal was stunning. To get a meal of this standard in a department store is unheard of in London, though of course commonplace in Paris! I've had worse food at Royal Hospital Road, Petrus, Sketch, Racine, Drones, and many other places in London.
Another time I went and had sea bass and a glass of Montrachet. This was poor. Soggy fish with a foul, overpowering taste of fennel. For pudding I had a few macaroons and a cognac, which were good, but not enough to make up for the poor main course.
I've often picked up sandwiches from here for lunch at the office. They are okay, but nothing special, and I cannot afford to stand in a queue for 20 mins. I can sit down and eat at Noura in that much time. If only this place was not in Harrods!
by bouji (2 reviews), 26 Jul 2006
When I heard Laduree launched in Harrods, I was so excited about it, as I went to Laduree in Paris and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. Whether it was the decoration, the food, the wine, everything just perfect.
I particularly booked Laduree in Harrods when a very close friend of mine come to visit me from abroad but I was quite disappointed!
It's located in Harrods between the food hall and menswear. It is very quiet and private, the dining area is very small and if you have a group of people they need to sit very close to each other, but the afternoon tea area is quite airy.
Unfortunately, I have to say their food is not as good as I remembered in Paris and I couldn't believe the bread we were served was almost as hard as a stone! (I couldn't cut it with the bread knife they provided.) The way they served butter -was paper wrapped, not served in a small butter dish as a good quality restaurant would do.
For our main course we had sea bass, but it tasted just ordinary, not outstanding, I would say there are restaurants out there where you can get better food at the same price and I wouldn't go to Harrods just for the decor or the name! I was embarrassed, because I had strongly recommended my friend to go there.
Only the deserts are good, as usual. I will still go there to get some deserts again but not for a full meal.
by niceyves, 13 Mar 2006
I particularly booked Laduree in Harrods when a very close friend of mine come to visit me from abroad but I was quite disappointed!
It's located in Harrods between the food hall and menswear. It is very quiet and private, the dining area is very small and if you have a group of people they need to sit very close to each other, but the afternoon tea area is quite airy.
Unfortunately, I have to say their food is not as good as I remembered in Paris and I couldn't believe the bread we were served was almost as hard as a stone! (I couldn't cut it with the bread knife they provided.) The way they served butter -was paper wrapped, not served in a small butter dish as a good quality restaurant would do.
For our main course we had sea bass, but it tasted just ordinary, not outstanding, I would say there are restaurants out there where you can get better food at the same price and I wouldn't go to Harrods just for the decor or the name! I was embarrassed, because I had strongly recommended my friend to go there.
Only the deserts are good, as usual. I will still go there to get some deserts again but not for a full meal.
by niceyves, 13 Mar 2006
Checked this place out on a Saturday. Had to queue for 30 mins. The place is decorated very nicely and you can relax. The pastries were very nice, although I don't recommend the Montblanc. A very good selection of tea but overall a little bit overpriced, especially the sandwiches.
by rasskass (2 reviews), 06 Mar 2006
by rasskass (2 reviews), 06 Mar 2006
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